ALEX Lesson Plan Resources

Subject: English Language Arts (6 - 8) Title: Narratives & Grammar: There's More to the StoryDescription: For this lesson, a mystery, a type of narrative realistic fiction, will be composed. Since strong adjectives and adverbs will support a mystery, they will be incorporated into the writing. What should a good narrative contain?
This is a College- and Career-Ready Standards showcase lesson plan.Subject: English Language Arts (6 - 8) Title: Drill and Kill No More - Incorporating Verbs, Adverbs, and Prepositions Within the Context of Argumentative WritingDescription: The technique known as "Drill and Kill" is not effective for the retention of grammar skills. Students are more apt to remember grammar skills when the skills are taught in connection with writing.
The following lesson demonstrates a better way. Yes, the skills must be taught first; however, the “dril,l skill and kill” method is only 15% of the lesson. The first thing you must do is correlate the different genres of writing with the grammar concepts that go with them.
This lesson will show teachers how to teach adverbs, verbs, and prepositions within the context of an argumentative paper.
This is a College- and Career-Ready Standards showcase lesson plan.Subject: English Language Arts (7 - 8), or Technology Education (6 - 8) Title: Expressing Yourself With PoetryDescription: Two classes at different schools or across the hall share dramatic poetry presentations as part of a poetry unit. Students listen to poetry, practice reading poetry, and (if practical) participate in a distance learning program on poetry. Students then produce a Poetry Alive program that will be shared with another class through video conferencing or video tapes.

Thinkfinity Lesson Plans

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: Press Conference for Bud, Not Buddy Add BookmarkDescription: Students read Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, demonstrate comprehension of the story by involving themselves in discussions, and analyze the characters in preparation for a class '' press conference.''Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 6,7,8

Subject: Language Arts,Social StudiesTitle: Metaphorical Gold: Mining the Gold Rush for StoriesAdd BookmarkDescription: In this EDSITEment lesson, students research the Gold Rush era to provide authentic background for their own fictional prose. By mining online databases for primary texts and period photographs, students can explore the Klondike Stampede and glean from their visit sufficient period details to help them create their own narratives based on the Gold Rush. While the emphasis of this lesson is on history and research rather than literature, selections from Jack London's The Call of the Wild are used to provide focus and structure for students research in online databases of primary sources, and to serve as models of vivid narrative prose for students own stories.Thinkfinity Partner: EDSITEmentGrade Span: 6,7,8

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: Expository Escapade Detectives HandbookAdd BookmarkDescription: Students create a Detective's Handbook based on a detective mystery they have read. The handbooks include expository and descriptive writing, as well as a letter.Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 6,7,8

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: Shared Spelling StrategiesAdd BookmarkDescription: Students increase their spelling accuracy and retention, while preserving fluency, by using sound, sight recall, and analyzing strategies instead of memorizing words, as they deal with spelling during drafting.Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 6,7,8

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: Reciprocal Revision: Making Peer Feedback MeaningfulAdd BookmarkDescription: Interpreting art is a subjective process. In this lesson, students write written responses analyzing a work of art and use feedback from their peers to revise or confirm their initial responses.Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 6,7,8

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: Write letters that make things happen!Add BookmarkDescription: In a small group or as individuals, students write letters related to a unit of study or particular topic they have studied.Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: Henry David Thoreau was born in 1817.Add BookmarkDescription: Students make mental '' snapshots'' of a natural setting, then capture the details of their setting by writing and then creating a class booklet of the nature walk.Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: E-pals Around the WorldAdd BookmarkDescription: With e-pals, students develop real-life writing and social experiences, learn the format of a friendly letter and parts of an e-mail message, and discover other cultures, languages, and geographic areas.Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 6,7,8

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: Inside or Outside? A Minilesson on Quotation Marks and MoreAdd BookmarkDescription: Students often question whether a punctuation mark goes inside or outside the quotation marks, especially when writing dialogue. This lesson helps students identify the conventions and apply them to their text.Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 6,7,8

Subject: Language ArtsTitle: Creative Writing Through Wordless Picture BooksAdd BookmarkDescription: Students are exposed to wordless picture books and begin developing story lines, both orally and in writing, using an online, interactive story map.Thinkfinity Partner: ReadWriteThinkGrade Span: 6,7,8